London – The High Court has today denied interim relief, granting police access to the work phone of solicitor Fahad Ansari – a clear violation of legal privilege and confidential client material. This is an egregious violation of privacy rights and an unprecedented assault on the legal profession, striking at the very foundation of legal privilege and the public’s trust in the justice system.
The decision follows a secret hearing held under the UK’s discredited closed material procedure, from which Mr. Ansari, his lawyers, and the public were excluded while so-called “evidence” was presented in private. The use of this system – which is long condemned by rights groups and even senior judges, means that the state was able to make allegations that Mr. Ansari could neither see nor challenge.
The use of isolation, and in particular isolation booths, has become a growing source of concern among some parents. Picture posed by model. Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images
Children with special educational needs more than twice as likely to be put in isolation, say Manchester researchers
One in 12 secondary pupils report being put into school isolation rooms at least once a week where they often spend in excess of eight hours, missing more than a full day of lessons, according to research.
Children with special educational needs were more than twice as likely to be placed in isolation, otherwise known as internal exclusion, while students from low-income backgrounds were also disproportionately affected.
Pupils on free school meals were more than one-and-a-half times more likely to be placed in isolation than their wealthier peers, researchers found from self-reported data provided by pupils.
Children who identified as LGBTQ+ were nearly twice as likely to be in isolation, while Black, Asian and mixed heritage children were also more likely to be in isolation than their white British peers, the research from the University of Manchester found.
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership is intensely relaxed about assaulting those least able to defend themselves – the very poorest and most vulnerable.
dizzy: While they are in a very vulnerable situation, I would suggest that pupils try to pursue their human rights in such circumstances. They should not be – but of course are – subjected to arbitrary punishment without a fair hearing and without being advised that they have any option to object, defend themselves or appeal. Human rights apply to all including school students.
